SHARK-NIR: from design to installation, ready to dive into first light

Abstract

SHARK-NIR is a near-infrared (0.96-1.7µm) coronagraphic camera with low-resolution spectroscopic capability designed to exploit the excellent performances, in terms of resolution and contrast, of the LBT Adaptive Optics system SOUL (recently commissioned). Second generation instrument of the LBT, SHARK-NIR left 5 years ago its paper and models realm to become a real working instrument, through realization and testing of single components at first and then the full AIV of the system. Its compact size is a consequence of the available volume and required stiffness, but shall not convince you of a simple opto-mechanical design, translating in requirements for all the interconnected fields of software, electronics, archiving, etc. The instrument is equipped with a cryostat containing the H2RG detector, several custom made optics and motors to operate the instrument, like de-rotator, wheels (to introduce filters, coronographic masks, prisms for spectroscopy), ADC stages, linear stages and actuators for calibration and alignment to star purposes. Its main science target is the detection and characterization of exoplanets, to be achieved through a set of different coronagraphic techniques. However, the analysis and study of protoplanetary disks, stellar jets, AGN, QSOs and solar system bodies are also foreseen scientific cases of the instrument. Coupled with its visible counterpart SHARK-VIS, it will offer the possibility to perform binocular observations in a wide wavelength domain (0.5µm to 1.7µm). In this paper we will report the main steps that let SHARK-NIR become a real instrument with laboratory validated performances, including procurement and shipment, the lessons learned and the upcoming path towards commissioning, focusing on the coordination, interfaces and interactions of all the different involved fields, expertise and institutes of the consortium as well as of the hosting telescope. © 2022 SPIE.